ILOILO CITY — A disturbing majority of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Western Visayas belong to the working-age population, according to data from the Department of Health Region VI, as health officials sounded the alarm over lagging HIV detection and treatment rates in Iloilo province.

The Iloilo Provincial Local AIDS Council convened Tuesday to address the province’s worsening HIV situation, marked by poor health-seeking behavior, low testing coverage, and minimal diagnosis among the youth.

Data from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) showed that as of June 2025, Iloilo has an estimated 4,800 PLHIV, but only 1,988 (41%) have been diagnosed. Of those, 1,583 (80%) are undergoing treatment, while 1,065 (67%) have achieved viral suppression.

The figures reveal the province’s continued failure to meet the 95–95–95 global HIV targets for testing, treatment, and viral load suppression over the past four years.

Further analysis by the DOH-Western Visayas showed that 67 percent of all PLHIV are from the working-age group, followed by 31 percent from the youth sector. The epidemic remains male-dominated at 97 percent, highlighting both behavioral and access gaps in HIV prevention.

Health authorities linked the low testing rate among youth aged 15 to 24 to stigma, lack of information, and limited access to youth-friendly testing centers.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon underscored the need to ramp up awareness and preventive efforts, stressing that HIV remains a “silent but persistent threat” in the province.

“We need to strengthen advocacy and education, particularly on prevention,” Quiñon said. “There are already proven tools available to stop transmission—people just need to access them.”

Among these tools is Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily preventive medication proven to offer up to 98 percent protection against HIV infection.

Quiñon urged individuals at higher risk of exposure to undergo free and confidential testing at district hospitals and rural health units offering HIV services, including:
RISE Clinic (Guimbal), SHINE Clinic (Alimodian), PINK Clinic (Janiuay), CARE Clinic (Concepcion), JUST Clinic (Balasan), MOCHA Clinic (Calinog), I HEART Clinic (Cabatuan), and IWAG Clinic (Pototan).

Free HIV testing and PrEP are also available at Gorgeous Beauty and Wellness Center in Janiuay, Pavia RHU, Merry Mart Building in Oton, Concepcion Care Clinic, and Highway Inn Pension House in Calinog.

Provincial officials said the council’s renewed drive aims to reverse the trend before HIV becomes an entrenched public health crisis in Iloilo.